Revitalize and fight aging skin!

Do you feel like your skin is dry, tight, dull, and wrinkled? It’s time for some body maintenance! Revitalize and fight aging skin with this 4 step process: hydrate, cleanse, exfoliate and moisturize.

Hydrate skin from the inside

Did you know coffee and your favorite green tea, both act as a diuretic? They do, and so does drinking hot water! While it seems like getting rid of excess fluid would banish puffiness, the effects of this type of dehydration can show up in your face, neck and hands as wrinkly, prunish, and baggy skin! What should you do?

The answer is to create an exchange- keep hydrated, while ‘rinsing out’ waste products your liver has worked so hard to process through the night. There are some great ways to encourage the exchange, as Dr. Oz brings out in this post. Rule of thumb: remember that for every cup of a diuretic, drink an additional cup of water.

Cleanse skin

Have you heard of dry brushing? Dry brushing is a technique that promotes circulation and helps the lymphatic system clean out toxins. It works better on dry skin- here’s how to do it:

Using a natural bristle body brush or a loofah, ‘sweep’ your limbs, torso and back, always towards your heart. Aim for at least 5 or 6 swipes of each area. You can use your fingers on your face and chest, in the same sweeping motion, towards your heart. Light tapping will help decongest your sinuses during a cold or sinus flare up.

What about your soap choice? Is gel or bodywash better than an old-fashioned bar of soap? Experts say it doesn’t matter, as long as the cleanser is gentle enough to clean without stripping away natural oils.

Exfoliate skin

When we are young, our skin cells are replaces every 28 days. As we age though, the rate that it takes to become a ‘new woman’ slows to about every month and a half. The pile-up of dead skin cells on the surface can lead toingrown hairs,flaky skin and a dull, grey appearance.

According to the dermatologist interviewed in Allure Magazine, “Dead skin cells pile up, diffusing the light and making skin dull.” Our bodies work to replace cells throughout the night. So, slough them away by exfoliating at night in a before-bedtime bath, instead of in the morning.

Moisturize skin

Next, lock in moisture with a good, all-over body lotion. For particularly dry areas or trouble spots like knees, elbows and heels, body butter is even better! Apply the moisturizer just after you shower to help your skin look fresh and plumped.